Survey: More retailers selling adult video games to children

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Children under age 16 who participated in the organization's annual retail enforcement survey this year were turned away from purchasing M-rated (mature) games 55 percent of the time -- down from 78 percent a year earlier.
"It's a major step backward," said David Walsh, president and founder of the institute.
Walsh, however, singled out K-Mart, Hollywood Video, and EB Games for stopping every underage purchase attempted in the survey.
Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who hosted the institute's Capitol Hill press conference, said Tuesday he was disturbed by the trend. "The secret shopper results are obviously discouraging."
Lieberman said he might consider reviving legislation Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., introduced in the 109th Congress that would penalize retailers who sell or rent mature or adult-only video games to minors.
"We pulled back on that bill because we saw real progress," he said. "I think this result will give Sen. Clinton and me reason to reconsider that legislation."
Walsh said the problem seems to be greatest when younger clerks are involved in selling the games to minors. He recommended stores remind their younger staff members to enforce the policies against such sales.
Walsh also voiced concern that most parents apparently are not well-versed in the Entertainment Software Rating Board system that rates video games. A survey found 72 percent admitted knowing "little or nothing" about the rating system, despite educational efforts by the ESRB.
"Parents need to be better educated about the system and use it," Walsh said.
The ESRB, which assigns game ratings, defended the effectiveness of its program.
"At a time of year when parents are looking for helpful guidance about video games, this year's (National Institute on Media and the Family) report card does little more than sow unwarranted doubt about effective tools like ESRB ratings," said ESRB president Patricia Vance.
She said a recent Federal Trade Commission report called the ESRB rating system useful and informative for parents.
The report card issued Tuesday also included a list of 10 "games to avoid." That list is on the Web site www.mediafamily.org, along with a list of recommended games for kids and teens.
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Material from the Associated Press was used in this article.
Peter Urban, who covers Washington, can be reached by e-mail at purban@ctpost.com.
2007 Buying Guide for Parents